Note: I have copied this verbatim from other social media sites where I have posted. Partly because it is tedious to retype the same words but also because it still makes me angry to relive the experience.
I should start by saying this was our first ever cruise so we have nothing to compare it to and it was a 10 day Baltic cruise on Arcadia.
In fact that doesn’t matter because this cruise ...
I chose this cruise because the itinerary and timing suited my needs. I had a dozen sea cruises and 3 river cruises under my belt, but had never used P&O before. I believed, though, that they had a good reputation.
Other reviewers have mentioned the truncated visit to Amsterdam and missed visit to Zeebrugge. Disappointing as these were, I do not complain about them - I think one must accept ...
We are veteran cruisers and first sailed on P&O Arcadia in her maiden year of 2005. This was our fifth cruise on her. Oh dear: I really hate to be the one to say it, but P&O are a shadow of their former selves. Their standards have not so much dropped as plummeted. While the positives, on the whole, outweighed the negatives, we did find a couple of issues to be more than a little ...
We chose this cruise as had been on Arcadia a few years before and it was exquisite, so had so had qualms about booking another cruise. From the start to the finish this cruise was appalling in every way. Queuing an hour every night to get a table for dinner. The queue went half way along the ship. The food was repetitive, very small portions, always warm.
Staff didn't seem to understand what ...
Having never been away for Xmas we, and another couple, booked this 10 day cruise on a ship we have travelled the World on. Never again. From leaks on every deck, toilets that didn’t work, cutbacks in every department and missing 2nd day in Amsterdam and not calling into Zeebruge….it was awful. 24/10 piped Xmas music on a loop so loud you couldn’t hear yourself speak in some place. Pitiful ...
The Arcadia is an old ship and it is starting to show. Leaky roofs and blocked toilets, stained carpets and scuffed creaky lifts. We found this Christmas cruise very underwhelming and thought there would be more activities and guest speakers. Our balcony cabin was kept reasonably clean by the steward, but I have had better standards on other lines. The food in the main dining room was monotonous. ...
We chose to sail Arcadia for the first time having sailed on Azura and Britannia. Was also our first ever cold cruise. Their were too many areas of complaint. Better to read the other reviews for details. In a nutshell the experience was not what we expected. As much as the staff tried their best the standard of food and drink on what should of been a showcase Christmas cruise from P&O was so ...
Having cruised many times we thought we would try a Christmas cruise. I am sorry to report this was by far the worst cruise we have been on. Regrettably this was a sentiment shared by all of the other passengers we spoke with.
The Arcadia is frankly a ship in serious need of upgrading or perhaps retirement from the fleet. Passengers had issues with toilets not working and the heating in the ...
We have sailed quite a few times with P&O and we liked the itinerary and we were looking forward to a nice Christmas and New Year.
However we were very upset and disappointed with the debacle at the embarkation point in Southampton. It was very badly organised, the facilities and the staff were insufficient to cope with the large number of passengers.
Onboard the Iona there were ...
Returned to P&O for first time since pandemic. What a change. The system can’t handle 5000 passengers.
Only get on this ship if you enjoy queueing for hours to do anything!
Checkin took hours in Southampton.
Bookings for restaurants take hours when you can make them, often you can’t even book.
Hotel manager made announcement to all cabins saying the problem everyone wants to make a ...